Int.J.Curr.Res.Aca.Rev.2015; 3(12): 94-98 International Journal of Current Research and Academic Review ISSN: 2347-3215 Volume 3 Number 12 (December -2015) pp. 94-98 www.ijcrar.com Study on Fluoride Levels in Water of Nalgonda District, Telangana, India Shobham, Thirumani Prashanth Goud, R. Deepak Reddy, Beerbin Yadav and M.K. Sukumaran* Department of Biochemistry, Bhavan’s Vivekananda College, Secunderabad, Telangana, India *Corresponding author KEYWORDS ABSTRACT Standard In the present communication the fluoride level in the drinking water of some selected areas (Once high fluoride areas) of Nalgonda District of Telangana, fluoride India were determined. Levels of fluoride in these areas ranged between 0.5 testing kit, Fluoride, to 3mg/L. Highest level of fluoride was seen in Lenkalapally water sample Drinking (3mg/L), while lowest levels were observed in Araygudem, Nalgonda water, (railway station), Nalgonda (bus stop) and Vattipally (drinking water) Nalgonda (0.5mg/L). The number of samples with 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 3mg/L of fluoride levels were 5, 14, 6, 2 and 1 respectively. These results clearly suggest that defluoridation plants have drastically reduced the fluoride levels in water used for drinking purposes. Introduction Water forms the most important component Africa, Thailand, China, Sri Lanka and of eco-system any imbalance either in its Southern Africa (WHO, 2006). Among the amount or presence of added impurities to it different parameters that are analyzed for can harm the whole eco-system (Ranjana, determining the quality of water, fluoride 2009)1 In India nearly 12 million tons of ion exhibits unique properties in the sense, fluoride gets deposits on the earth’s crust. its concentration in optimum dose in These fluoride deposits are the cause for drinking water is advantageous to health fluorosis in 17 states of India (UNICEF, however, if the concentration exceeds the 2 limit, it affects the health 1999) . The most seriously affected areas 4 are Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, (Vekata Mohan, S., 1995) . A higher Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Uttar concentration causes serious health hazards Pradesh (Venkateshwarlu et al., 2014)3. which manifest itself in three forms, namely, High groundwater fluoride concentrations dental, skeletal and non-skeletal fluorosis. associated with igneous and metamorphic Therefore, it is desirable to drink water rocks such as granites and gneisses have having a fluoride concentration less than been reported from India, Pakistan, West certain value (Fluoride in Drinking Water, 94 Int.J.Curr.Res.Aca.Rev.2015; 3(12): 94-98 2006)5. The WHO guideline for fluoride is fluoride contents in these areas used to be 1.5 mg/L (W.H.O., 1995))6, which is the very high earlier. The collecting bottles were same as EEC guideline (EEC., 1998)7, U.S. thoroughly cleaned by rinsing with 8M EPA, also it had determined maximum HNO3 followed by several washes with concentration 4 mg/L to prevent bone double distilled water. fluorosis [6]. The aim of this study is to determine the concentration of fluoride in Results and Discussion the vicinity areas of Nalgonda and compare it with the permissible limit. A total of 28 water samples were collected from different areas of Nalgonda District. Materials and Methods All the water samples were tested in duplicates and results are summarized in A standard fluoride testing kit manufactured table 1. It was observed that the fluoride by Nice Chemicals Pvt Ltd, Cochin, Kerala, content in these samples ranged between India was used to determine the fluoride 0.5mg to 3mg/L. The study area are levels. The method is based on colour categories into different groups based upon comparison and it is generally practised in the fluoride levels (group I- 0.5mg/L, II- the government RWD lab units for 1.0mg/L, III- 1.5 mg/L, IV- 2 mg/L and V- estimation of the fluoride content in rural 3mg/L) (Table 2). The number of water villages of Nalgonda (M. Alagar Raja, M. et samples with 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 5mg/L of al., 2013)8. Water samples (bore water, fluoride levels were 4, 13, 1, 2 and 1 drinking water, ground water, tap water and respectively. A representative photograph of sagar water) were collected from different the different fluoride levels along with areas in Nalgonda District (Telangana, negative and positive controls are shown in India). These areas were selected since the figures 1 & 2. Figure.1 Fluoride Levels in Drinking Water Samples 95 Int.J.Curr.Res.Aca.Rev.2015; 3(12): 94-98 Table.1 Fluoride Concentration in Water Samples S. No Name of the villages F- (mg/L) 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 3.0 1. Choutuppal 2.0 2. Kamagudam- chandur mandal 1.0 3. Mallapur – Choutuppal 1.0 4. Araygudem 0.5 5. Lingojigudem 1.0 6. Darmojigudem-Choutuppal 1.0 7. Urumudla 1.0 8. Marriguda mandal 1.0 9. Shivannagudem 2.0 10. Munugodu (plantation water) 1.0 11. Munugodu (drinking water) 1.0 12. Nalgonda ( railway station) 0.5 13. Nalgonda ( bus stop) 0.5 14. Gudapur 1.0 15. Munugodu ( ground water) 1.5 16. Munugodu (tap water) 1.0 17. Munugodu (bore water) 1.0 18. Lenkalapally 3.0 19. Vattipally 1.0 20. Vattipally (drinking water) 0.5 21. Vattipally (sagar water) 1.0 22. Shivannagudem 0.5 23. Batlapally 1.5 24. Lingotam (tap water) 1.5 25. Marrigudem (bore water) 1.5 26. Mal 1.5 27. Marrigudem (tap water) 1.0 28. Lingotam (bore water) 1.5 Number of samples that tested positive 5 14 6 2 1 Table.2 Classification of Areas based on Fluoride Levels Group I (0.5mg/L) II (1mg/L) III (1.5 mg/L) IV (2mg/L) V (3mg/L) 5 14 6 2 1 % 18 50 22 7 4 96 Int.J.Curr.Res.Aca.Rev.2015; 3(12): 94-98 Figure.2 Controls-Doubled Distilled Water; Tap Water and Sodium Fluoride Acknowledgment Committee on Fluoride in Drinking Water, 2006. National Research Authors are thankful to Management and Council. Prof. Y. Ashok, Principal of Bhavan’s 3. M. Alagar Raja, M. Vamsheedhar Vivekananda College for providing Goud, David Banji, Rao, K.N.V, Selva necessary facilities and constant Kumar, (2013): International Journal encouragement. of Research and Development in Pharmacy and Life Sciences August - References September, Vol. 2, No. 5, pp 559-561. 4. Ranjana, 2009. Study of physico- 1. EEC., 1998. Directive 98/83 on the chemical parameters of ground water quality of water intended for human quality in Dudu Town in Rajasthan. consumption. European Economic Rasayan J., 2(4): 969. Council (EEC), EC official Journal. 5. UNICEF, 1999. States of the art report 2. Fluoride in Drinking Water, 2006. A on the extent of fluoride in drinking Scientific Review of EPA's Standards water and the resulting endemicity in 97 Int.J.Curr.Res.Aca.Rev.2015; 3(12): 94-98 India. Report by Fluorosis and Rural Development Foundation for UNICEF, New Delhi. Environ. Monit. Assess., 145: 1–65. 6. Vekata Mohan, S., Nikhila, P. and Reddy, S.J., (1995): Determination of fluoride content in drinking water and development of a model in relation to some water quality parameters, Fresenius Envir Bull, 4, 297-302. 7. Venkateshwarlu, M., Rasheed, M.A., Reddy, U.V.B., Kiran Kumar, A. 2014. Assessment of ground water quality in and around Miryalaguda area, Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh. Int. J. Plant Anim. Environ. Sci., 4(2): 259–266. 8. W.H.O., 1995. Guideline for drinking water quality. Vol. 1, World Health Organization (WHO), CEHA, Amman. 98 .